16 Most Expensive PEZ Dispensers
1961 Political Dispensers: $20,000 – $25,000 In 1961, PEZ Candy Company created and presented three political dispensers as a gift to President John F. Kennedy. Two of the dispensers feature a donkey head, while the third features an elephant head—these animals are meant to honor America’s two-party system. One of the donkey dispensers was presented to JFK during his visit to Austria just before his assassination. What are they worth? These PEZ dispensers are rare enough to be placed in museums rather than be up for auction. One of the donkeys, for instance, can be seen at the PEZ Visitor Center in Orange, Connecticut. However, their combined value is estimated to be between $20,000 – $25,000.
1982 World's Fair Astronauts: $12,000, Unknown This rare pair of PEZ dispensers are shrouded in mystery—and that mystery extends to their estimated value. Allegedly, only two of these dispensers were ever created, and they were produced for the 1982 World’s Fair in Knoxville, Tennessee for two PEZ employees. One is blue with a yellow helmet, and the other is white with a yellow helmet. However, only the former of these two dispensers has ever been found. What is it worth? The blue dispenser (known as “Astronaut B”) has been valued at $12,000 by the PEZ Price Guide. The white dispenser has been lost to time—if it were ever to resurface, it would likely have an even higher value than Astronaut B.
Mickey Mouse Soft Head: $3,500 Most people are familiar with the modern PEZ dispensers, which have a hard plastic head. However, some 1970s-era dispensers had soft rubber heads that portrayed popular Disney characters. Disney rejected the project after the soft-head prototypes were made, meaning that these dispensers never made it to market. What is it worth? Since so few of these gummy-headed PEZ dispensers exist, they’re quite valuable—the Mickey Mouse edition sold in 2019 for $3,500.
Dumbo Soft Head: $2,728 Like all soft head PEZ dispensers, the Dumbo soft head is particularly rare since the prototype never actually made it to stores. The head of this dispenser features the beloved elephant with his big blue ears and a yellow hat. The rubber-like head is attached to a peak dispenser stem. What is it worth? One of the Dumbo PEZ prototypes sold for $2,728 in 2019.
Captain Hook Soft Head: $2,247 When PEZ was designing its innovative launch of soft-headed dispensers in the 1970s, they modeled the toy heads after both Disney heroes and Disney villains. One of these villains was Peter Pan’s Captain Hook, whose oversized head sits atop a dark red PEZ stem. What is it worth? A Captain Hook Soft Head sold in 2019 for $2,247 in an eBay auction.
Wedding Prototype: $2,000 This pair of bride-and-groom PEZ dispensers weren’t commercially sold—they were made specially for a PEZ employee as a gift for their upcoming wedding. Since only one pair of these PEZ dispensers exists, they’re one of the rarest types you can find! What are they worth? The bride and groom dispensers sold at auction in 2012 for $2,000.
Astronaut "A": $1,900 The PEZ Astronaut series was released in the early 1960s (during the Space Race, so space-related paraphernalia was all the rage!). The footless dispensers feature an astronaut head that’s wearing a white or silver helmet atop a pink stem. However, it’s really rare to catch a glimpse of these rare dispensers as collectors usually hold on to them. What is it worth? One 1962 astronaut sold online for $1,900 at auction in 2024.
Mary Poppins: $1,250 This footless PEZ dispenser was released in 1973, and it remains one of the rarest PEZ Disney dispensers on the market. There are two versions of this dispenser: both have a blue stem topped with a Mary Poppins head under a pink cap. However, one version has painted red cheeks, and one does not. What is it worth? The non-painted version is worth about $750, while the painted version is worth about $1,250.
Merry Music Maker Parrot with Yellow Head: $1,200 This parrot-headed dispenser is one of the most unique and innovative PEZ products. Released in 1990, the Merry Music Maker series features a whistle on the back of its head that kids could blow through in order to create ~merry music~ as they ate their PEZ candies. Most of these parrots had a red head with a blue or red stem. However, a rare variation has a blue stem and yellow head, increasing its value. What is it worth? The yellow-headed parrot dispenser is worth about $1,200.
1950s Space Gun Dispenser: $1,099.99 This space gun PEZ dispenser is one of the coolest and most unique—which makes it a valuable commodity. The 1950s product was sold as a Space Gun kit that included a sci-fi-inspired ray gun with a PEZ dispenser sleeve inside. Owners could press the gun’s trigger and cause a piece of PEZ candy to shoot out of the barrel of the “gun.” What is it worth? A preserved, boxed Space Gun kit sold on eBay for $1,099.99.
Alpine Man with Mustache: $1,024 This 1972 PEZ model features a red stem topped with the head of a man with a thick black mustache and green cap with brown feathers in it. The mustachioed dispenser is most valuable, although there is a facial-hair-free version that’s also worth quite a bit of money, coming in at an estimated $675. These dispensers were given away at the 1972 Munich Olympics—so their historic significance increases their value. What is it worth? With his mustache intact, the Alpine Man is worth about $1,024.
Landerbank Hippo A: $900 This vintage dispenser was released in 1971 as part of the PEZ company’s Animals series. The orange hippo sits atop a vibrant green stem with the word “Landerbank” (a major Austrian bank) inscribed on its right side. What is it worth? If this dispenser is in good condition and part of series A, it may be worth up to $900.
Universal Monster Dispensers: $750 The Vintage Universal Monster series was sold by PEZ during the 1960s and 1970s. The various dispensers feature the heads of classic monsters like Frankenstein, the Creature from the Black Lagoon, and Wolf Man. These dispensers aren’t as valuable as some of the others on this list, but they are super popular among collectors and horror fans. What are they worth? A set of all three monsters sold for $750 on eBay in 2024, although dispensers in mint condition may be worth more.
Psychedelic Eyeball Flower: $500 PEZ embraced the groovy trends of the 1960s with a psychedelic “Mod PEZ.” The counterculture-inspired dispenser had a green and purple stem with “Mod PEZ” written in a colorful bubble font. Instead of a classic head, the top of the dispenser featured a rose with an eyeball sitting in its center. What is it worth? A slightly damaged Mod PEZ sold in 2022 for $500 on eBay.
Vintage Santa: $170 Most of these fan-favorite PEZ dispensers feature a classic vintage Santa Claus head atop a red stem. Others portrayed a full-body Saint Nicholas, complete with black boots, white mittens, and a red suit emblazoned with “PEZ.” These Christmas-y dispensers remain the highest-selling PEZ models. What is it worth? A full-body Santa has an estimated value of about $170.
1966 Batman With Cape: $110 In 1966, Adam West’s campy Batman series brought the beloved winged hero to a whole new flock of fans. In response, PEZ created a Batman dispenser with a monochromatic blue stem, cape, and mask. What is it worth? The caped Dark Knight dispenser has an estimated worth of about $110.
How to Tell If a PEZ Dispenser Is Valuable
Consider whether your dispenser is still in its box. Like most rare collectibles, items that haven’t been unboxed are generally more valuable. Boxed dispensers are more likely to be in mint or near-mint condition, which also increases their value. If your PEZ has been taken out of its box, however, that doesn’t mean that it has no significant value—it may just be slightly diminished.
Check the patent number to tell if it’s vintage (rather than modern). PEZ dispensers have a patent number running down the side of their stem—this number will tell you the dispenser’s age. Since older dispensers are generally more valuable than modern ones, an older patent number or a patent number from a significant era may raise your PEZ’s price. For instance, dispensers with patent numbers 2,620,061 or 3,410,455 may be more valuable than others. These toys were made from 1952–1974, a peak era for PEZ.
Verify if your PEZ dispenser is feetless (rather than footed). Modern PEZ dispensers have “feet,” or a black plastic block at the bottom of their stem that’s used to help them stand upright. The standardization of these “feet” started around the 1980s. So, a footless dispenser may be a sign of an older model, which is likely to make it more valuable.
Consider whether your dispenser portrays a popular character. This aspect of PEZ valuation is pretty simple—is the character head at the top of the stem a recognizable image? If it’s not, it’s unlikely that your PEZ is worth a lot. Collectors of PEZ dispensers and general memorabilia are more likely to spend big bucks on a character that they feel nostalgia towards. However, this isn’t always true! Some of the most expensive PEZ dispensers—like the Alpine Man or Astronaut A & B—are valuable for their history, not because they feature popular characters.
How to Tell the Age of Your PEZ Dispenser
Check the patent number on the side of the stem and compare it to the list below. Look for the patent number under the words “Made in (manufacturing country),” which is usually on the side of the stem, although it can sometimes be on the bottom of the dispenser. The patent number gives a rough idea of how old the dispenser is—however, it’s possible that the vintage stem has been disassembled and recombined with other, more modern stems. Once you’ve found your patent number, compare it against these numbers to find the estimated year: 2,620,061: Issued in 1952. 3,410,455: Issued in 1968. 3,845,882: Issued in 1974. 3,942,683: Issued in 1976. 4,966,305: Issued in 1990. 5,984,285: Issued in 1999. 7,523,841: Issued in 2009. 11,459,164: Issued in 2022. Note: PEZ collectors typically refer to a patent number using only the first two digits. For instance, patent number 3,845,882 is referred to as a 3.8 patent.
What is the rarest PEZ dispenser?
The rarest PEZ dispensers are the political party models gifted to JFK. In 1961, the PEZ company gifted a set of donkey- and elephant-headed PEZ dispensers to President John F. Kennedy—with the animals meant to represent the Democratic and Republican parties, respectively. Only three are believed to exist, and their connection to JFK gives them even greater importance, with an estimated combined value of $20,000 to $25,000.
Frequently Asked Questions About PEZ Dispensers
What is the best-selling PEZ dispenser of all time? The best-selling and highest-selling PEZ dispenser of all time is the Santa Claus dispenser, which was first sold in 1955.
What's the rarest PEZ flavor? Some of the rarest (and most unusual) PEZ flavors include licorice, flowers, and chlorophyll. These flavors debuted during the 1960s, so they’re nearly impossible to track down today. Conversely, as of 2025, the top best-selling PEZ flavors (according to the company’s website) include strawberry, cherry, grape, and raspberry.
What is the oldest PEZ? The oldest PEZ candy was a peppermint-flavored treat sold in 1927 in Vienna, Austria. They were originally called PEZ drops and were marketed as an alternative to cigarette smoking. The earliest PEZ dispenser didn’t have a character head on it—instead, it was called a “regular” and had a similar shape to a cigarette lighter.
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